Faculty Highlight: Professor Tammy Stuart Peery

English professor, chair of the Germantown Department of English and Women’s
and Gender Studies, and chair of the Montgomery College Faculty Council,
Tammy Stuart Peery rifles through some papers in her office, room
PK124, as she prepares to talk about her latest award. “The
International Exemplary Leadership Award,” she says, “is a nice acknowledgement
to have. It is nice to be appreciated for my work, even though I don’t seek
flashy awards.” The award highlights Peery’s leadership skill and positive
influence over her department. The Chair Academy, the organization that
distributes the award, maintains that the award is crucial to their mission
statement, which is “to advance academic and administrative leadership for
post-secondary institutions globally.”
Professor Rebecca Razavi has worked as a part-time English professor since
2008, when she was hired by Peery. Razavi shares the English Department’s view
in congratulating Peery on her selection for the International Exemplary
Leadership award. “[The award] is a feather in her cap, well-deserved, and I
couldn’t think of a better person to have gotten it!” she says.
Always smiling and cheerful, Professor Peery appears to have a positive and
dynamic influence on those around her, as well as a strong understanding of her
department and of leadership that is optimal for the department. Elisa
Merendino, administrative aide to the English Department,
has worked with Professor Peery since Fall of 2008 and has a similar impression.
“One of the best aspects of my position in the English Department is working
with Professor Peery. She’s fair, and she’s very easy to get along with,” she
says. Similarly Professor Razavi says, “As an adjunct professor, the greatest
part of working with [Professor Peery] is that she treats everyone not just as
equals, but as peers. She’s supportive and flexible, and is always willing to
give her time whenever you have a problem of any kind.” She explains further,
“Since my office is right across the hall from her, I can hear her laughter and
enthusiasm all day long! It makes coming to work a positive experience.”
A Pittsburgh native, Professor Peery traces her lineage to teaching
professionals and is a 7th generation educator, she says. Peery
attended Penn State and North Carolina State University with a focus on
Literature and English. Since first arriving at Montgomery College in 1998,
Professor Peery has risen to the position of chair of the Germantown Campus
English Department. Her office walls are decorated with awards for her
teaching and guidance ability, some awards stretching back more than 10 years
while others are as recent as last year.
Peery admits that she enjoys and appreciates her position. She says “I do
like MC. My favorite part of working here is my work with students. Being able
to help and extend a student’s understanding and appreciation of a subject, as
well as help the student form a clearer understanding of him or herself and what
the student expects of life, are invaluable to me.” Peery mentions that many of
her interests coincide with her career, as she likes educating. When not in a
classroom or an office, she mentions her love for her family, as well as her
lifelong interest in reading. Talking about her favorite part of working with
Tammy Peery, Elisa Merendino says, “Professor Peery has a calming presence and
is a positive influence on the people who visit her or need help. She seems to
be able to work with people in a very fair and open way.”